Audient ID4 mk II review

[Dilettante]

The interface has been on the market for quite some time, however there is still no review on ASR. My intention is to rectify this.
I won't be adding any photos to the post as these are readily available over the Internet.

What I'd like to mention is that the volume knob is significantly less robust compared to all others. Why it was manufactured this way is a mystery to me. Especially considering that volume level does not persist between power cycles.

The measurements were performed using balanced cable in loopback mode. Sample rate and other relevant settings are clearly visible on the screenshots.

Multitone
​

I would like to thank mr. @pkane for his excellent Multitone software.

1KHz sine

Line input

Note the improved harmonics when preamp is at ~11 o'clock. Counterintuitively, harmonics are better in the 2nd example.

Multitone

Line input	Preamp at 11

Level sweeps

Line input	Microphone preamp at 11

What the **** ? With the preamp turned on, TD+N goes up and down starting from -23 to -10dB.

RMAA​

All measurements were taken using ASIO in 24b / 48kHz.

Line input

​

Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB	+0.04, -0.04​	Excellent​
Noise level, dB (A)	-114.8​	Excellent​
Dynamic range, dB (A)	115.0​	Excellent​
THD, %	0.00479​	Very good​
THD + Noise, dB (A)	-84.0​	Good​
IMD + Noise, %	0.00530​	Excellent​
Stereo crosstalk, dB	-57.8​	Average​
IMD at 10 kHz, %	0.00580​	Excellent​

Given the single-channel cable, I am not sure if the stereo crosstalk should be even looked at.

Frequency response​

Nothing to discuss here, flat.

​

	Left​	Right​
From 20 Hz to 20 kHz, dB	-0.10, +0.05​	-0.10, +0.05​
From 40 Hz to 15 kHz, dB	-0.04, +0.04​	-0.04, +0.04​

Noise level​

Perfectly usable for any practical purpose.

​

Left​	Right​
RMS power, dB	-113.0​	-113.0​
RMS power (A-weighted), dB	-114.8​	-114.8​
Peak level, dB FS	-76.7​	-76.7​
DC offset, %	-0.0​	-0.0​

Dynamic range​

​

	Left​	Right​
Dynamic range, dB	+113.9​	+113.9​
Dynamic range (A-weighted), dB	+115.0​	+115.0​
DC offset, %	-0.00​	-0.00​

THD + Noise (at -3 dB FS)​

​

	Left​	Right​
THD, %	0.00479​	0.00479​
THD + Noise, %	0.00485​	0.00485​
THD + Noise (A-weighted), %	0.00629​	0.00629​

Intermodulation distortion​

Comments on 60Hz and ~7.5kHz anomalies would be appreciated.

​

	Left​	Right​
IMD + Noise, %	0.00530​	0.00530​
IMD + Noise (A-weighted), %	0.00397​	0.00397​

IMD (swept tones)​

I do not know what is happening here.

​

	Left​	Right​
IMD + Noise at 5000 Hz,	0.00872​	0.00872​
IMD + Noise at 10000 Hz,	0.00495​	0.00495​
IMD + Noise at 15000 Hz,	0.00372​	0.00372​

Microphone preamp at ~11 o'clock
​

Again, some numbers are better than the line input!

​

Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB	+0.04, -0.04​	Excellent​
Noise level, dB (A)	-111.5​	Excellent​
Dynamic range, dB (A)	111.6​	Excellent​
THD, %	0.00083​	Excellent​
THD + Noise, dB (A)	-96.5​	Excellent​
IMD + Noise, %	0.00148​	Excellent​
Stereo crosstalk, dB	-55.3​	Average​
IMD at 10 kHz, %	0.00135​	Excellent​

Frequency response​

​

	Left​	Right​
From 20 Hz to 20 kHz, dB	-0.10, +0.05​	-0.10, +0.05​
From 40 Hz to 15 kHz, dB	-0.04, +0.04​	-0.04, +0.04​

Noise level​

​

	Left​	Right​
RMS power, dB	-110.1​	-110.1​
RMS power (A-weighted), dB	-111.5​	-111.5​
Peak level, dB FS	-75.1​	-75.1​
DC offset, %	-0.0​	-0.0​

Dynamic range​

​

	Left​	Right​
Dynamic range, dB	+110.5​	+110.5​
Dynamic range (A-weighted), dB	+111.6​	+111.6​
DC offset, %	-0.00​	-0.00​

THD + Noise (at -3 dB FS)​

Harmonics are strikingly better compared to the line input.

​

	Left​	Right​
Dynamic range, dB	+110.5​	+110.5​
Dynamic range (A-weighted), dB	+111.6​	+111.6​
DC offset, %	-0.00​	-0.00​

Intermodulation distortion​

The same 60Hz and 7.5kHz spikes, however 100-200Hz and ~15kHz are better.

​

	Left​	Right​
IMD + Noise, %	0.00148​	0.00148​
IMD + Noise (A-weighted), %	0.00121​	0.00121​

IMD (swept tones)​

Less deviation with amplifier compared to the plain DAC? New word in engineering? Glitch? UFO?..

​

	Left​	Right​
IMD + Noise at 5000 Hz,	0.00158​	0.00158​
IMD + Noise at 10000 Hz,	0.00126​	0.00126​
IMD + Noise at 15000 Hz,	0.00121​	0.00121​

I hope this was useful to you. This is my first review and I am grateful for all the knowledge generously shared by the members of this forum.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Intermodulation distortion​

Comments on 60Hz and ~7.5kHz anomalies would be appreciated.

They're not anomalies, that's the test signal for SMPTE IMD! (60 Hz + 7 kHz)

IMD (swept tones)​

I do not know what is happening here.

Looks like a fair bit of H2 (and increasing with frequency) but little else, as THD+N already hinted at. Not reference grade but it'll sound just fine.

Microphone preamp at ~11 o'clock
​

Again, some numbers are better than the line input!

Analog level is substantially lower during this test, so that's kind of expected.

What is the level difference you get between using line-in and mic in at 11 o'clock while leaving output level unchanged? That would enable a fairly decent estimate of output noise level / dynamic range. (Results will be more accurate with gain near max.)

 

[Dilettante]

They're not anomalies, that's the test signal for SMPTE IMD! (60 Hz + 7 kHz)

Oh... I thought RMAA is using a single tone there

Analog level is substantially lower during this test, so that's kind of expected.

RMAA measurements were performed as close to the recommended -1dB level as possible. So I would adjust output gain close to to the recommended value each time.

Less output gain when the preamp is activated and more when it's a simple line-in loopback.

What is the level difference you get between using line-in and mic in at 11 o'clock while leaving output level unchanged? That would enable a fairly decent estimate of output noise level / dynamic range. (Results will be more accurate with gain near max.)

Here we go, preamp gain is at 10:30. Output gain is fixed at the last turn of the knob before the red "0" LED is illuminated (very precise, I know).

Actions order:

1. Set levels as above
2. Measure 1kHz sine and sweep with preamp on
3. Turn preamp knob all the way to the left so that line input is activated
4. Measure 1kHz sine and sweep with preamp off

1kHz sine

Line-in	Preamp ON

Sweep

Line-in	Preamp ON

Tagging @VintageFlanker , I've read his reviews and he seems to be very comfortable with RMAA.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Not bad, but maybe a little disappointing to me. BTW, thanks for doing these measurements.

Do you have a DAC you could measure with the ADC part of the Audient only? Maybe get an idea if the ADC is a bottleneck or not.

 

[Dilettante]

Not bad, but maybe a little disappointing to me. BTW, thanks for doing these measurements.

My pleasure. What is disappointing?

Do you have a DAC you could measure with the ADC part of the Audient only?

Yes, I have "Audioquest Dragonfly Black". My concern is that it can be a limitation in itself...
How about in-built output on the motherboard? It is using Realtek ALC1220-VB.

 

[Blumlein 88]

My pleasure. What is disappointing?



Yes, I have "Audioquest Dragonfly Black". My concern is that it can be a limitation in itself...
How about in-built output on the motherboard? It is using Realtek ALC1220-VB.

Nothing you have done is disappointing. Mostly due to the rather high 2nd harmonic distortion the basic level of THD+N is higher than would be optimum although like mentioned by Analog Steph not really a concern in using the interface. So yes, get some experience and do the Dragonfly and the Realtek. Easy for me to say, you are doing all the work.

 

[Dilettante]

do the Dragonfly

Here you go: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...audioquest-dragonfly-black-v1-5-review.35041/

 

[Bathrone]

Nice one. I have the Audient ID14 which Ive used for many years on XLR. Thanks for this on the ID4

 

[nsfgp]

Can you confirm if the ID4 mkii's TRS output is only impedance balanced (ie. signal driven thru one leg only) and not full differential balanced output??
I believe the ID14 mkii is only impedance balanced output.

 

[studio7]

Hi,
I recently bought an iD4 MkII with the ESS ADC. What type of audio cable do I need for the test in loopback mode?

 

[AnalogSteph]

What type of audio cable do I need for the test in loopback mode?

TRS to TRS for line in, TRS to XLR male for mic in.

As there is only one input, testing has to be performed in mono mode.

 

[studio7]

TRS to TRS for line in, TRS to XLR male for mic in.

As there is only one input, testing has to be performed in mono mode.

Thanks! I ran the test and the numbers look within range, except for the Frequency Response.

This is with the TRS - TRS cable.

There's some weird rippling and a loss of High-Frequency Response above 5KHz.

 

[AnalogSteph]

There's some weird rippling and a loss of High-Frequency Response above 5KHz.

Look at the vertical scale though, you're zoomed waaay in. The periodic ripple (presumably mostly to be blamed on the ADC - try a different sample rate) is maybe +/-0.02 dB p-p, and you're at most 0.4 dB down at 20 kHz.

Frequency response taking such a drastic nosedive before fs/2 leads me to suspect that RMAA and the interface may be disagreeing about sample rate. Set up RMAA to use ASIO and try again like that. You don't want to be benchmarking a software resampler as well.

 

[studio7]

Frequency response taking such a drastic nosedive before fs/2 leads me to suspect that RMAA and the interface may be disagreeing about sample rate. Set up RMAA to use ASIO and try again like that. You don't want to be benchmarking a software resampler as well.

RMAA was configured to use the ASIO driver. I retested with two different TRS-TRS cables, and still got the same high-frequency attenuation above 5KHz on the Line-in.

The test with the XLR-TRS cable though, shows a flat frequency response.

 

[teashea]

Thanks for the good review. I just purchased one a couple weeks ago to use as a headphone amplifier with my Audient 4816SE console. Julian Krause did a very good review of it on YT.

 

[andivax]

I have ID4 mk2 and I like it!
And yes it records 50 Hz buzz here too!

 

[Wavez]

I need a new portable interface for gigs that doubles as a desktop headphone amp for daily listening. This unit fits all my needs. Would the headphone amp sound good with Audeze mm-100 which are planar magnetic but only 18ohms?

 

[teashea]

I need a new portable interface for gigs that doubles as a desktop headphone amp for daily listening. This unit fits all my needs. Would the headphone amp sound good with Audeze mm-100 which are planar magnetic but only 18ohms?

18 ohms is very low. Before purchasing an interface for this use, I would suggest you carefully review the reviews by Julian Krause on YT. These are the best source of information about the details like headphone amp performance. I love my three Audient interfaces but I don't know how they would do with that......

One suggestion is the SSL12, which has a switch for low impedance headphones.

 

[Wavez]

18 ohms is very low. Before purchasing an interface for this use, I would suggest you carefully review the reviews by Julian Krause on YT. These are the best source of information about the details like headphone amp performance. I love my three Audient interfaces but I don't know how they would do with that......

One suggestion is the SSL12, which has a switch for low impedance headphones.

Hmm the SSL12 appears to have a high impedance mode but not specifically a low impedance mode, so not sure the standard mode would be low enough.

 

[teashea]

If you watch the SSL 12 YT videos you may get more comfort in this regard.